Daily Dose of Social Media: Draper spotlights Alzheimer’s awareness as Raducanu teams up with new fitness coach
Tennis News
Jack Draper
participated in an emotional interview where he discussed his efforts to raise
awareness about Alzheimer’s, a disease his grandmother—one of the greatest
influences on his career—suffers from. Also in London, Emma Raducanu met with
her new fitness coach and shared their first selfie together.
In a new
Daily Dose of Social Media, we take a look at the most notable moments of the
day from the ATP and WTA Tours, this time as players enjoy the off-season.
Highlights include Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa posing with personalised
pizzas featuring their names in Dubai. All this and more, coming up!
Emma Raducanu poses in first selfie with new fitness coach Yutaka Nakamura
Emma
Raducanu has appeared in her first selfie with her new fitness coach, Yutaka
Nakamura, who recently joined the 2021 US Open champion’s team. Nakamura’s
mission is to help Raducanu overcome the injuries that have plagued her career.
In her comeback 2024 season, Raducanu rose from outside the top 300 to world
No. 57, although she had to withdraw from several tournaments due to both
physical issues and her low ranking, which prevented her from qualifying.
Raducanu
suffered ligament sprains during the WTA 500 Seoul Open, forcing her into a
nearly two-month break. She returned at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals,
showcasing a high level of performance by winning all three of her singles
matches.
The Brit is
aiming high for 2025, and the hiring of Nakamura—a renowned fitness coach who
has previously worked with Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka—is a clear statement
of her intentions to compete at the top of the Tour while maintaining physical
consistency.
Jack Draper opens up about his Grandmother’s battle with Alzheimer’s
Jack Draper
spoke in an interview with the BBC about his close relationship with his
grandmother and her battle with Alzheimer’s. The British No. 1 recently took
part in a Memory Walk to raise awareness of this degenerative neurological
disease.
"I
always know she's there in spirit, even if she can't always understand what's
going on," Draper told the BBC. "She got Alzheimer's about 11 years
ago now and has been on a slow deterioration over the last 11 years. Really
tough to see. She was a huge part of my development growing up. In terms of my
tennis, also just being an amazing grandma. Always had a trick up her sleeve
when she was younger. She'd say, 'Get that ball toss up, Jack.’"
"This
is still something I'm trying to do now. I'm 22 years old and 15 in the world.
Maybe I need to start listening to what she used to say back in the day. Just
an amazing woman. I know she'd be incredibly proud of this walk, where I'm at
with my tennis, and hopefully who I am as a person as well.”
Draper has
just finished his best professional season as one of the Most Improved Players
of the year. He claimed two ATP titles and reached the semi-finals of the US
Open, his best Grand Slam performance so far, finishing the year inside the top
15.
Badosa and Tsitsipas enjoy pizza break
Paula
Badosa and Stefanos Tsitsipas were spotted in a photo enjoying a meal together
in Dubai, complete with personalised pizzas bearing their names. The tennis
couple is gearing up for the 2025 season, making the most of the off-season to
spend time together before the demanding ATP and WTA Tour calendars kick off.
The pair,
who have been dating for about a year and a half, recently enjoyed a European
holiday but are now training in the United Arab Emirates. Badosa is preparing
to start her season at the Brisbane International, beginning on 29 December,
where she will enter as the 5th seed in a star-studded draw featuring Aryna
Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula, and Emma Navarro, with eight top-15 players
competing.
Meanwhile,
world No. 11 Stefanos Tsitsipas will represent Greece at the United Cup,
partnering with Maria Sakkari for the third consecutive year. The 26-year-old
will travel to Perth, where Greece is set to face Spain (featuring Pablo
Carreño Busta and Jessica Bouzas Maneiro) and Kazakhstan, led by Elena Rybakina
and Alexander Shevchenko, in the group stage.
— Sunny 💚 (@SUNNY8X) December 16, 2024
Nico Jarry relaxes building miniature cars
Distracting themselves with toys appears to be a hobby adopted by several
tennis players during their free time, and Nicolas Jarry is no exception. This
season, players like Iga Swiatek and Barbora Krejcikova shared their passion
for building Lego sets as a way to unwind. Meanwhile, a recent photo of Nicolas
Jarry shows the Chilean player calmly assembling a miniature car.
Jarry had a rollercoaster season, reaching his first Masters 1000 final
with an impeccable performance at the Rome Open, where he seemed ready to make
the next big leap on the Tour. However, some injuries hampered him in the second half of the year, where he
managed just three wins in his last 15 matches.
Read also
Paolini reflects on Melbourne memories ahead of AO 2025
Jasmine
Paolini is eagerly anticipating her return to Melbourne for the Australian
Open, reflecting on her favourite moment at the year’s first Grand Slam.
Entering the tournament as a two-time Major finalist and the 4th seed, the
Italian will undoubtedly be among the title contenders this season.
“My
favourite moment of the Australian Open was the first round this year because,
before that, I had never won a match at the Happy Slam,” laughed the world No.
4, who defeated Diana Shnaider 6-3, 6-4 in her 2024 Melbourne debut. Paolini
advanced to the fourth round, where she suffered a heavy defeat to Russia’s
Anna Kalinskaya (4-6, 2-6).
The
28-year-old will kick off her 2025 season at the United Cup, teaming up with
world No. 32 Flavio Cobolli, 22, as they aim to bring glory to Italy. The duo
will be among the favourites, especially after Italy secured both the Davis Cup
and Billie Jean King Cup titles to close out 2024.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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